Georgia’s 2026 recruiting efforts took a serious hit when Jackson Cantwell, the consensus No. 1 overall prospect, unexpectedly committed to Miami. Cantwell, a 6’7″, 325-pound offensive tackle from Nixa, Missouri, had just wrapped up his sixth visit to Athens days before the announcement.
Georgia, which had prioritized Cantwell as a cornerstone of its class, had been heavily involved for months, with head coach Kirby Smart and offensive line coach Stacy Searels spearheading the push. The abrupt change has ignited fresh conversations around NIL’s impact on recruiting.
Kirby Smart Voices Frustration Over College Football’s Chaotic NIL Era
Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 player in the 2026 class, announced his commitment to Miami, reversing widespread expectations that had Georgia leading just 24 hours earlier. The Hurricanes surged late in the race, reportedly escalating their NIL offer significantly before Cantwell’s decision.
According to reports, Miami’s proposal approached $2 million for Cantwell’s freshman year. Though other finalists, including Georgia, were said to be offering similar financial packages, the timing suggested Miami made a last-minute push. Cantwell, however, denied NIL was a decisive factor.
“They’ve spent so much time recruiting me over the past year and checking in with me,” Cantwell said of Miami’s coaches Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal. “I just feel like it’s a place where I could develop and be something great.”
Cantwell had not visited Miami since March, but hired high-profile agent Drew Rosenhaus, a Miami alumnus and resident, to represent his NIL interests last fall. Rosenhaus was reportedly negotiating a multi-year agreement averaging more than $2 million annually.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart responded to the loss with concern about the current recruiting landscape.
Kirby Smart openly supports NIL but is also very open about what he cares about:
“I wanna see who wants to be a good football player. Who really cares more about the game than they do their NIL revenue stream.
My goal is to find out how much do you really want to be great?” pic.twitter.com/Ebq532kSjk
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) May 13, 2025
“It’s confusing. A lot of misleading information out there,” Smart told CBS Sports. “Nobody really knows what’s accurate. A lot of schools are approaching it in different ways.” He described the NIL environment as disjointed and uncertain, noting that feedback from schools varies widely.
Smart emphasized his desire for players who prioritize football over financial gain.
“Yeah, I want to see the fire. I want to see the passion, the energy. “They care more about the game than they do about their NIL revenue stream.”
Despite losing Cantwell, Georgia’s 2026 class remains strong, ranked No. 10 nationally and led by five-star quarterback Jared Curtis. Smart pointed to Georgia’s consistent success as a major draw for top recruits.
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“We’ve had some really good football teams, and we got a good state to recruit from,” he said. “We’ve got a great university to recruit to, academically and football-wise.”
Under Smart, Georgia won national titles in 2021 and 2022 and secured an SEC championship in 2024 before falling in the CFP quarterfinals to Notre Dame following an injury to starting quarterback Carson Beck.
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